Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-01-15
The Secret of the keyhole.

would have said 1t was the rustllng OF
the wind. But it was only sigh from
the keyhole.
For years the keyhole had remained
there faithful to its post, guarding the
great door that led from the play-room
of the children into the large hall be.
yond. In that hall stood the great
! clock that licked day and night and
was never silent. Through the hall
windows, with their many-colored
panes, came the last red rays of the
sun, which was setting; but the
long hall and the wide stairway were
always wrapped in deep shadows.
Town the stairway ne Their the clock
nor the keyhole had ever passed, but a
rat who once made the journey had
told them that the sta rway led to the
great world itself.
1t was terribly quiet in the hall; it
was terribly lonely. No wonder that
the keyhole sighed
"WIl you never stop ticking?" she
said impatiently to the clock.
And will you never stop sighing?"
asked the clock of the keyhole; and
then both said nothing for some time.
There is something 1 have long
wished to speak with you about" said
the keyhole to the clock I'VE key
holes, you know, occupy such a position
that we see both sides of life. We look
at it from within and without, and you
can easily imagine that we have much
to think about. What 1 was wonder
ing at and what would like to ask you
IS this: OF what use are you and your
ticking?"
Il am useful in way that you have
not learned" answered the other, cold
ly. Il mind my own business"
"And may one ask what is the reason
that you keep your face forever COW
cred with your hands, thus rendering
both hands and eyes quite useless to
you?"
an order that I may never see or
have to do with anything outside of
myself, or he in any way distracted
from attending to my own business"
And, pray, what is your business?"
ITO tick and kill time, answered the
clock.
what" exclaimed the other, mere
ly to live without seeing, and to pass
the time in killing time? That, it seems
to me, is a very poor business"
Nevertheless, 1t is the only bust
ness of about onehalf the world" an
swered the clock, "and you will find
they grumble enough over having to do
that"
The keyhole sighed and was silent.
She was thinking of the two sides of
lifel
A small dusty-looAing gray spider
came crawling up the door; she paused
beside the keyhole and stated her er-
rand.
Il take peoples thoughts" she said,
"and bind them with cobwebs of my
own, and spin them into books for
other spiders to read, that through me
they may learn to do the same. DO you
know much? Have you seen much?
Have you lived much? DO you wish
that | should write your history?"
Have you asked the clock for his"
inquired the keyhole.
"Yes, but his head is as stupid as it
is round" answered the other, "and
although he has twelve eyes he will
not use them, and although he echoes
all that one says, and repeats my very
thoughts before 1 have time to utter
them, have never yet heard anything
from him but that same old dull story,
tick, tick"
"And that is all he knows" said the
keyhole. But I know much, for 1
have seen great deal in my lifetime.
| have seen what goes on in the hall,
and L have seen what goes on III the
play-room of the children.
Tell me about the play-room!" ex-
claimed the spider, eagerly.
81 will recall what can," said the
keyhole, and then she sighed again.
And, as she sighed, soft breeze. sent
by the west wind, swept through her,
and brought with it delicious fra
GRANGE of the roses and lilies that are
always blooming in the children's gar
den, Just under the play-room.
"Here," said the keyhole, Il have
lived all my life, keeping guard over
the hall and watching the play-room.
My eye has never been closed, except
when the key was in the door. oh!
how delightful it was in the play-room
when the children were there! How I
loved to watch them! You can have
no idea how beautiful it is. In it are
toys and books and pictures and play
things and flowers. By day it is filled
with the sunshine. At night the stars
and the moon look down from heaven
and smile as they shine into it.
There the children played their
games and sang their songs and learned
their little lessons. And they watched
the sun and the moon and the stars.
And in the long winter nights when the
wind roared without they sat by the
open fireplace with no other light than
the freight. And looking into the
flames they saw there strange pictures
and strange lands, and they told each
other strange stories of fearful things
that had happened or that might have
happened to other children: and
then their eyes grew serious and earn
est but not for long, for. looking into
each others faces and seeing them
wright and ruddy with the reflection of
the freight, they would laugh and
clap their hands for glee. Sometimes
bright, roguish eye would peep in al
me, sometimes pair of rosy lips
would whisper some message through
me. All! those were happy days. !
shall never forget them.
"Are not the children there now? ?"
asked the spider.
"Ah! no." answered the keyhole.
sorrowfully. "Op by one they have
So L.. 4 4,